Apparatus for cleaning and warming grain



l (No Model.)

B.-D. SANDERS.

Apparatus foIfGleaning and Warming Grain.

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Patented April 26,1881.

N-PETERS. FKOT0-LITHOGRAPHEEL WASNINBTUN. D c.

UNITED STATES i PATENT OEEICE.

BENJAMIN D. SANDERS, oE GEOSS cEEEK DISTEIcT, (WELLSBUEG P. 0.,)

. WEST VIRGINIA.y

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND WARMING GRAIN.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 240,769, dated April 26, 1881,

Application filed January 6, 1881.

To all 'whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN D. SANDERS,

of Gross Creek District, (Wellsburg P. 0.,) countyof Brooke,State of WestVirginia, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Cleaning and Warming Grain; and I'do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, concise, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, makin g a part of this specication, in whichlike letters indicating like parts- Figurel is a sectional perspective View of my improved grain cleaning and warming ap paratus. ,Fig. 2 shows avertical sectional elevation of the same, the section being taken in the plane of the line x m of Fig. 3; and Fig. 3 shows a transverse section in the plane of the line y y, Fig. 2.

My invention relates to an im proved apparatus for cleaning and warmin g grain preparatory'to grinding; and it consists in subjecting the kernels of grain to frictional action by rubbing them over each other, when confined under pressure, by means of an angularshaped drum arranged to rotate within a polygonal stand pipe or box which holds or contains the grain.

The advantages ofcleanin g wheat of its fuzzy outer coating, as well as of smut and other foreign matter, as a preparatory Step to grinding, is well understood. Various kinds of devices have been used for this purpose, includy Well understood to be injurious and very ob-` jectionable.

Itis also considered desirable to warm or heat the grain preparatory to grinding, not only for the purpose of drying it, `but also to toughen the husk or bran, and thereby prevent (No model.)

its comminution. Various devices have been employed for this purpose, which, so far as I am aware, eifcct the result by the application ot' artilicial heat, either directly from a irefor indirectly by heated air or other medium.

Such apparatus, as well as that for cleaning, is expensive when so made as to be of practical value, and is scarcely within the means ofa large class of miller-s.

The purpose of my invention is to enable a miller, with the most trilling expense, to clean and warm or heat his grain preparatory to grinding in the best and most efficient manner without subjecting it to the injurious treatment referred to as characteristic of old inachines.

The apparatus which I employ is constructed as follows i In the drawings, A representsarectangula I box placed in a vertical position, and there secured in any convenient way to the iloortimbers of the building, or to any other suitable support. This box may be of any desired size in cross-section, and its height is, by preference, six or more feet, depending somewhat uponithe character and amount of work to be done. l

Within the box is mounted or journaled a rotary drum or stirrer, B, which is, by preference, maderectangnlar in cross-section, andis mounted on a rotary shaft, B', in the central or axial line of the box. The shaft may be supported by a step-bearing, c, secured on the bottom of the box, as in Fig. 2, or below the box, on an independent supporting-timber, C, as in Fig. l. A journal-box, c', receives the upper end of the shaft, and rotary motion or driving-power may be impartedby band-wheel Cf, or in any other desired Way.

I have shown the drum B made hollow, and it is keyed to the shaft by wedges b2 at the closed ends b', and also at intermediate points, if desired. The drum may be made solid, however, if preferred. The size ofthe drum is, of course, considerably less than the box, and it may be varied more or less, as desired, though sufficient space should be left between the angles of the drum and the inner side walls of the box, when in the position shownfin full lines, Fig. 3, to prevent breaking or cracking of the grain-say threeeighths of an inch, more or less.

As the drum is rotated within the box the body of grain, which lls to a greater or less height the space between the two, will be constantly turned and shifted by the ever-chan ging form of the space which it occupies. This changing form is due to the different positions which the drum assumes with relation to the sides and angles of the box, and it is partially illustrated bythe diagrams in dotted lines, Fig. 3. This shifting or changing form results in rubbing the kernels of wheat over, upon, and against each other, and by such frictioual rubbing of the kernels the fuzzy coating is worn off and the bran coating polished and toughened in the best possible manner. This result is due, in part at least, however, to the fact,

the drinn, and the length of time the grain is subjected to such treatment.

In order to secure the best results, l prefer to make the box six feet or more in height, so as `to obtain a considerable column and weight ot' grain, also to give the drum aspeed or rate of from sixty to one hundred and twenty revolutions per minute, more or less, not so great,

however, as to cause violentbeating of the grain against the sides of the box, and the length of time during which the grain is retained, together with the degree of pressure, may be regulated as follows A dischargespout,D, is made in the bottom of the box, in any convenient way, as in Fig-1, or in one side close to the bottom, as in Fig. 2. Within this discharge-spout is a hinged gate, d, to which is secured, on the outside of the spout, alever, e, and sliding weight E. This lever is so arranged that the effective weight of E tends to keep the gate closed as against pressure from within the box. When, however, such pressure exceeds a certain amount, the gateis partially opened and grain flows out at a rate corresponding to the iniiow through a suitable spout, F, at the top of the box. Anysuitable means may be employed to regulate this inflow of grain through spout F.

By moving weight E upon the lever the degree of pressure within the box can be varied and the grain be warmed or heated by friction,

.. for separating the dirt and dust from the wheat as or after it leaves thel spout I).

f When the shaft B passes through the sloping bottom of the box, as in Fig. l, the opening may be made to fit the shaft closely, or be packed in any convenient way to prevent escape of grain.

The drum B may be made triangular or of other angular form in cross-section', and good results secured thereby. Also, the box A may have six, eight, or other desired number of sides but I prefer to make both box and drum square in cross-section, in order better to secure a thorough shifting and frictional rubbing of the kernels of grain over and against each other throughout the entire bulk.

The box and drinn may be made either of metal orwood, though ifmade of wood it should be lined or faced with metal sheets, to prevent rapid wearin g away.

An important advantage which I secure by this construction of apparatus over cylindrical cases with interior rotary stirrers, such as screws, arms, and pins or beaters, heretofore known, is a much more uniform and thorough shifting and rubbing of the grain throughout its entire bulk, thereby securing more uniform cleaning and better treatment. This is due to the constantly-chan ging form of the space between the box and drum, and to the fact that the whole body of grain is carried around, more or less, with the drum from angle to an- 5 gle of the box, and as the corners of the drum 9 pass the sides and corners of the box there is also a vertical or lifting-and-falling movement of the grain, thereby more effectually shifting and rubbing the kernels than can be done either by a screw-shaped stirrer or by rotary arms or beaters. With a screw-shaped stirrer the grain is given a sliding motion through the apparatus, with rotaryarms, beaters, or pins projecting into the space occupied by grain, the rubbing action of the grain is not thorough or uniform, owing, in part, to the fact that the weight of grain tends to prevent free motion, and those kernels lying nearest to the arms or beaters are shifted most.

Grain-cleaning devices are also known having cone-shaped case and drum, with corrugations formed on the adjacent faces, like the roughened grindin g-surfaces of a grain or coffee mill 5 but in such apparatus the grain-containing space is of substantially one constantform, and the roughened or corrugated surfaces are designed especially to break the `husk of the grain and wear it away, and in this respect such surfaces are designed and adapted to accomplish the very thing which it is the purpose of my invention to avoid-namely, abrading and wearing away the bran. Such coneshaped case and drum, with abradin g or reducing surfaces, do not embody my invention, and I make no claim to such construction.

I claim herein as my inventionl. In a machine for cleaning and warming grain, a box or case, A, square in cross-section, having an inlet, F, at the top and an outlet, D, at the bottom, the capacity of the latter being adjustable with reference to the supply,

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as described, in combination with rotary drum tween which the grain is contained, with gate B, square in cross-section, the distance bed and means for closing' the gate against a tween diagonal corners of the drum being less given pressure Within the box, substantially than the Width of a side of the box, substanas set forth.

5 tially as and for the purposes set forth. In testimony whereof' I have hereunto set 15 2. The combination of a box, A, of polygonal my hand. form in cross-section, having an inlet, F, and BENJAMIN D. SANDERS. outlet D, a drum, B, of polygonal form in oross- Witnesses: section, and arranged to rotate within the box, J. D. SANDERS, 1o both box and drum having plain sidefaces, be- T. V. MEEK. 

